I've just heard from Bill Drossos from Area 27, the new track in Osoyoos BC. They are tentatively going to have a Players GM reunion June 2/3 this year as part of the opening ceremonies for the race track. Bill raced the Players GM Series back in the day. Trevor Siebert who also raced the series back in the day is heavily involved in Area 27. There are at least 2 of the tracks club members that have Players Camaros. Spread the word to anyone with a Players GM series car...I'll keep the forum updated as I get more details.
http://www.area27.ca/

 

I'm definitely in!

 

Hey pmand, I have some programs from 1988 that may have your car in photos...have you scoured those yet? If not I will see what I can find an scan/send to you.


Mike

 

I'm in!

 

Is this the same car that sold at that auction not too long ago? https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/cto/6052216362.html

 

Must be, GM Motorsports decal on passenger side rear 1/4 is wrong.

 

Yes it's the same car. It didn't sell at auction last fall. The auction house sold the car privately a few months ago to someone in Washington state.

 

I'd just like to have the poster that's set up with it!

 

This one?

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If so ... I can probably scan it and you can make up your own. (now where the heck I have this ... )

Mark.

 

LOL ... now that I look at the for sale ad ... they took MY scan above and printed it! Notice the grey players challenge script on it. Geez ... if they contacted me I'd given them the clean version.

Mark.

 

I'd like one of those posters !

 

X2!!

 

That would be great! Do you happen to have digital copies of the Players and GM logos and such? I have thought about getting t shirts made

 

I have many of the graphics, either scanned or re-created. I'm doing up some for my 89 1LE "test mule" as many of those were one-off for that car. It's not too bad as long as there is a decent original.

I'll all up for a cool T-shirt. Maybe a GM Motorsports down one sleeve, a Player's LTD logo on the chest, and then a wrap around of logos at the waste (rockn the untuck look). Oh ya ... IROC and Trans AM have to be somewhere.

Mark.

 

And on this note ... If anyone wants graphics or poster stuff to help make up a car display, drop me a note. I'll scan up what I have. Most items look great up to the 24 X 30 poster size.

Mark.

 

Guys, I'm in for a shirt and some advertising. My dad and I have a small shop and could digitize to vector some logos if it helps! Let me know.

 

Hi Mark. If possible, can i also get a copy of this as well?

Thanks

Benny

 

That would be awesome! I am by no means a graphic designer but I thought it would be cool to make up some series shirts hats etc.

 

HAHA well I'm no graphic designer either, but I've made plenty of logos and decals with my dad. If the logos/designs are clean enough they can be digitized and then AFAIK can be silkscreened by anyone. I've done it a few times myself for a few different businesses as an adder to the decals we provided, and for personal use.

 

Some new treasures!!! I got two photo albums of pictures from 1987-1992 and would be glad to send them to the car owners. Please PM me your car and I'll be glad to look for it please just cover the postage.

 

Awesome find! PM sent.

 

Very cool stuff! thanks for sharing !

 

I ordered a Players Documentation package from MarkZZ3. In depth information on these cars including a vin report, race prom vs stock prom report. I also got a set of original race used sidepipes and a new set of tailpipe alum caps. Thanks Mark

 

I also got a package about my car and a race Prom from Mark. Very well done and I learned a few things about my car that I didn't know already! So thank you as well!

 

So cool Mark!!! Nice job, that is awesome!!

 

The packages I made up combine all the best information I have on the series, the specific VIN, and the race prom. Essentially this is what I think an appraiser would need to read in order to understand why the car is unique. I included a 4 page summary on the series itself and what components were unique to the race cars. The VIN report verifies the car as a Players car, and I included the pages from the rule books which state that the option code was required in order to race (unique for each year), as well as MSRP and tech specs unique for year, and then the production number, color code break out. Lastly, if your car has a race PROM, I included the breakdown on all the specific parameter changes in the race PROM compared to the stock one. (If you don't have your race PROM, then I made up copies which run the exact code for each year of production).

It has been a long process to create the information package. I've used period correct graphics to mimic what things would have looked like back in the day (all for historical recreation). The PROM comparisons was the final chapter ... so special thanks form Munyguy who helped fill in one of the missing years of PROMs I didn't have.

If people are interested, drop me a PM.

Cheers!
Mark.

 

Thank you for the Package Mark! Great information and also, thank you for the photo!!

 

finally got the original race exhaust with sidepipes back in the car. Had to remove the added long tube headers. I found and restored a set of original smog manifolds and installed them. Can't wait to drive the car with the caps off!

 

Loving this car!

 

Very very nice.. Should have left those gaskets off though!

 

Guys, Ive tonight picked up a fair amount of Series related items from 1987, 1989 and 1990 (and 1991). There is newsletters, programs, posters and calendars. If you are interested in trading for something you might have a duplicate or unwanted please pm me. Im looking primarily to trade for 1988 items, as thats when my car raced.

 

I was picking up my daughter from my moms after work and she was watching a old MacGyver episode called "collision course". If you haven't seen it, you should, It looks to be very relevant to the players cars.
Anyone have any other info on them?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0638691/

 

Richard Anderson (MacGyver) ran the western series in 1988. That eposode was filmed using Players Cars at Westwood Racepark which is now a golf coarse

 

I have watched that episode many times.

 

I have started a group on Facebook for owners and people that are interested in Players cars to share information, pictures, parts, events etc. Feel free to join and share!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/121982285038652/

 

OK so I have not received much more in the way of details from Bill at Area 27 on the Players/GM Reunion but he did just let me know that the event is invitational only and to have interested parties contact him personally (Bill Drossos billdrossos@yahoo.ca). I know thirdgen member Koopsy has inquired already and received his invitation so he may have more to share. I won't be able to make it unfortunately but will be racing my car at Mission on the June 10 weekend. If anyone wants to come out and see the only original players car in the world (I think) that still races in anger let me know and come say hi.

 

And on the subject of MacGyver, my car was one of three in the Dueck GM sponsored team in 1988 which was the team that Richard Dean Anderson drove with. Terry Craig, who drove my car, and his brother Murray had a race team called Airborne Racing and they met Richard the previous year when he rented one of their Honda/Michelin racing cars at Westwood. Their race team then entered 2 Camaros and 1 Trans Am in the 1988 Players series with Richard taking on drivers duties in one of the Camaros. Terry and Murray helped him out throughout his racing time in Canada. I got a bunch of awesome stuff from Terry when I contacted him about my car including some good MacGuyver stories and memorabilia. Here is a picture of Terry and Richard MacGuyvering a camera into one of their cars.

 

I am going to try and attend. Not sure my 89 will be ready "enough" for a track. Worst case ... it might just be me and my camera. It would be great to meet people in person and see the old cars in action!

Mark.

 

As this thread continues to grow, the quantity and quality of information presented is outstanding. Every time I read about the 1LE/R7U equipped cars I am reminded how special they were and are. The historical significance these cars hold is special.

-A

 

If you are a players car owner and are planning to attend the Players reunion at Area 27, Contact Felicity at felicity@area27.ca for questions, information, and to get your passes.

There will be a few practice sessions starting early on Friday and the exhibition on Saturday. You will get a specific schedule for the 2 days and instructions from her.

 

My son and I joined this group and it is awesome!

 

Sharing some news.

Last weekend a number of Player's cars met up at the Area27 race track in south British Columbia. I think 12 or 13 cars made it. All Camaros. We had 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, and 1992 represented. Two were not decal-ed up, and the reset wore their original paint and decals schemes from back in the day.

We also saw at least 6 or the original drivers! Bill Drossos, Trevor Karl Seibert, Jerry Jagger, Harley Haugen, Robin Buck, and Frank Allers.

As this was the grand opening of the track (and a fantastic track!), we had two 45 minute session on the Friday to learn the track, and then a 30 minute session on Saturday in front of the crowds. It was quite the track to learn ... lots of difficult turns. I'm sure I was one of the slower guys on the track ... but I bet I had the largest grin on my face!

The old cars faired quite well. Put in gas and go! By the end of the sessions, there was lots of brake dust on the wheels! The cars saw speeds north of 160KM/hr. We saw 3 of the original drivers take to the wheel back in their original cars!!! (One of them pasted me like I was taking a Sunday drive ... and I could not keep up). Best of all ... we ran with the side pipes open.

It was a bucket list item for me to run the cars on the track with original drivers. So cool.

Now here's hoping we can see a vintage class for Player's cars only come to life. There is enough of them around to run a class.

A couple pics (Taken by Gerry Frechette http://gerryfrechette.zenfolio.com/f358289389)

 

Thanks Mark! Was nice to finally meet you out there. Had a great time I hope we can do this again

 

It was really cool to meet the people you talk to online and who have helped you get your car running. Also, it was awesome to see all of the cars in one spot and on the track!

Id love to help organize/participate in a Players Challenge remake. The Vintage Racing Club of BC, who race in Mission, already mention the Players cars in their rules as eligible. And I heard a rumour that we may be invited back in September or October to A27, if not, they want to make it an annual thing. I'm sure once they get going and have timing equipment etc., they would allow us to hold a real 'race' event or hold one themselves. So there's already 2 tracks for a west series! And I know that Spokane County Raceway holds a vintage Festival of Speed every year as well.

 

Nice pm sent

 

Very cool!

 

Thanks for sharing... makes me want to find a players car and go racing.

 

Here is the 1991 I picked up from PEI in December 2017 though one of the worst snow storms you could imagine. Last driven in 2008 so did fuel pump, plugs and complete brakes and a couple of decals! All ready for Ontario roads now just need to complete a few more decals.
Car was owned by GM Canada then transferred to GM dealer in PEI, then it had two owners in PEI before I got it. Spoke to one of the Players Series drivers from 1991 and 1992 and he remembers playing bumper tag with the pace car for 1992 when they were doing some parade laps around town. He was in a van and the president of Moosehead Breweries was driving the pace car, said I should check for some marks in rear bumper and sure enough there was some gouging in the centre of the bumper. There is also some etching marks left in roof paint that clearly shows the Moosehead logo. Anyway thought I would share some interesting history I have dug up on this car and photo of when I picked it up December 31st and today all cleaned and ready for some shows.

 

Nice

 

Hello All,

All this talk about the Players series finally got off my butt. I dragged my old Player's car out of storage to get it fired up. Hasn't turned a wheel since 1992. Pics attached.

Todd Nichol